Synthetic amorphous silicas of predetermined pore distribution, method of producing same

ABSTRACT

Novel amorphous siliceous materials having shape-selective sorption properties are prepared by a novel process of (1) hydrolyzing an organosilicon compound of the formula R[Si]X 3  alone or in the presence of one or more compounds either of the formula R&#39; n  MY m , wherein R and R&#39; are non-hydrolyzable organic groups, X is a hydrolyzable group, Y is the same as X or oxygen, [Si] is silicon or ##STR1## M is metal or non-metal, including silicon, of any group of the Periodic Table other than IA, IIA, VIIA or O, m is a number over 0 and up to 8 and n is 0 or a number less than 8, or an inorganic compound consisting of an anionic portion made up of M and Y and a cationic portion of either hydrogen, alkali or alkaline earth metal or ammonium; (2) effecting condensation polymerization of the hydrolyzed product; and (3) calcining the resulting polymerized product to convert all the R and R&#39; groups to hydroxy or hydrogen. Pore size distribution of the final composition is primarily controlled by appropriate selection of the R group of the R[Si]X 3  precursor. The amorphous synthetic solids of this invention are useful in such conversion processes as shape-selective cracking, hydrocracking, hydrogenation-dehydrogenation, oxidation, and methanation processes. They are also useful as sorbents and catalyst supports.

CROSS REFERENCE TO COPENDING APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 450,967, filed Mar. 14, 1974.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention has to do with amorphous synthetic siliceous materials and in particular it relates to controlling pore sizes of said materials and their catalytic use in chemical processes.

2. Description of the Prior Art

U.S. Pat. No. 2,441,214 discloses a hydrocarbon conversion catalyst prepared by reacting an aluminum, magnesium or zirconium compound, such as AlCl₃, with dehydration product of a silanol or siloxane polymer R₃ SiOSiR₃, ##STR2## OR ##STR3## R being alkyl, aryl or aralkyl, to produce a metal complex, precipitating in water plus base (NH₄ OH), water-washing and drying. In one example, the product was calcined for 3 hours at 500° C. This procedure is not the same as that utilized in the present invention, and it results in loss of silicon values with lower surface area and fewer small pores than desirable.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,483,963 discloses the hydrolysis of organochlorosilanes to produce organosiloxanes. The process involves introducing liquid silane into the upper end of a silane-water vapor contact zone and removing a condensed siloxane. The amount of water used is in excess of that necessary to hydrolyze the silane. The trichloro, RSiCl₃, in which R is alkyl or aryl, is either not used at all or used in a restricted amount so that in the formula RnSiCl_(4-n) n is at least 1.7. pg,3

In U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,504 is disclosed a catalyst material one component of which is an activated silica or alumina, another an oxide or sulfide of certain transition metals and the third is an organophilic silicone coating formed by (1) adsorbing onto the activated surface of the first component a silane monomer of the formula ##STR4## wherein X is a hydrolyzable group, R₁ is non-hydrolyzable and R₂ and R₃ may each be hydrolyzable or not, (2) hydrolyzing the monomer, then (3) heating the combined materials at 800° to 1200° F. to dry; the second metal component is added by impregnation, or alternatively is added with the silane monomer.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,661,770 there is disclosed a method of preparing a catalyst by using a chlorosilane compound, SiX₄, at least one of the X's being chlorine and the others hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, methoxy and ethoxy with a Group VIII metal-alumina composite at a temperature of 500° to 900° F. The composite is the catalyst and the silane is an activating agent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has now been discovered that shape-selectivity or the pore-size distribution of a silica or silica-containing composition may be controlled by the steps of (1) hydrolyzing a mono-organo silane, R[Si]X₃, alone or in the presence of other compounds having the formula R'_(n) MY_(m), wherein the R groups and R' groups are organic non-hydrolyzable groups and may be the same or different, X is a hydrolyzable group, Y is the same as X or oxygen, and M is either a metal or non-metal of the groups of the Periodic Table including silicon other than Groups IA, IIA, VIIA and O, m is a number up to 8 and n is zero or a number less than 8, or an inorganic ionic compound containing M and Y, (2) bringing about the condensation and polymerization of the hydrolyzed compounds and (3) calcining the polymerized product. The calcined silica or silica-containing products of this invention have utility in a number of processes, such as shape-selective cracking.

In the following discussions, "silica products" or "silica structures" and similar terms are intended to include materials as described herein, containing components other than silica alone. Also as used herein, the term "hydrolyzable" refers to any group which is capable of conversion to hydroxy in the presence of water under conditions of the hydrolysis step; "non-hydrolyzable" refers to any group which does not convert to hydroxy under the said conditions.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

This invention provides a solid having shape-selectivity for hydrocarbon conversion and other processes but without the cost of many of the known shape-selective catalysts. The present invention provides inexpensive catalysts of controlled pore size whose adsorptive characteristics can be designed to accept within the pores thereof hydrocarbon molecules of different shapes. Furthermore, this invention provides a silica structure which may be used alone as a catalyst or as the selective carrier for more active components.

Formation of the silica structures of this invention is carried out by the steps of hydrolyzing the silane, polymerizing the hydrolysis products and calcining the polymerized product. The silanes used in this invention have the formula R[Si]X₃ wherein R is an organic radical which cannot be hydrolyzed in the first step of this invention and X is a hydrolyzable group which ultimately converts the silane to a siloxane polymer. As used in this invention, R may be alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, or a heterocyclic group containing oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen in the ring, aminoalkyl (including polyamino alkyl), and the halo and hydroxy derivatives of such groups, R having preferably from 1 to about 40 carbon atoms; the expression [Si] may be a single silicon atom or ##STR5## X may be halogen, hydrogen, alkoxy, aryloxy of from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, alkali metaloxy, carboxy, nitro, amino and the like. The preferred compounds of this invention are those in which R is alkyl or aryl or a group containing one or more amino groups and X is halogen or alkoxy. Specific examples of R may be methyl, ethyl, butyl, hexyl, decyl, dodecyl, octadecyl, phenyl, tolyl, naphthyl, aminomethyl, aminoethyl, aminopropyl, ethylenediaminomethyl, ethylenediaminopropyl, cyclohexyl, chlorobutyl, hydroxybutyl, ethoxyethyl, propoxypropyl and the like. X may be chloro, bromo, iodo, methoxy, ethoxy, acetoxy and the like.

Normally hydrolysis would convert hydrolyzable groups to hydroxy. However, trihydroxy organosilanes would lead instead to organosiloxane polymers by dehydrocondensation Molecular weights ranging from 2500 to 3,000,000 or more are usually obtained.

Depending on the amount of water present in the hydrolysis reaction mixture and the type of R group, the intermediate polymerization product is either a three-dimensional cage-containing structure of a two-dimensional linear or sheet-containing structure. The cage-containing structure is the preferred structure in this invention for producing the more desirable silica, although it is likely that the hydrolysis step produces both types of polymer in the same reaction mixture. For this reason, the amount of water used in the hydrolysis is preferably kept to the stoichiometric amount or slightly in excess of that necessary to convert the X groups to hydroxy. It is preferred to use a system of an organic solvent and water instead of water alone. Excess water also has been found to affect the distribution of the pore sizes in the finished calcined product. It is preferred to use 0.5:1 to 10:1 by volume of organic solvent of water. The preferred solvents are hydrocarbons, e.g. hexane and benzene, ethers and alcohols, the preferred alcohols being methanol, ethanol and other lower alcohols. However, solubility of the silane in the water-solvent system is not necessary, providing the water control is maintained throughout the hydrolysis step. Hence, any convenient solvent system is useful.

The silane is added to the solvent-water mixture and stirred. An acid or base hydrolysis/condensation catalyst may be used. Hydrolysis may be effected at a temperature as low as room temperature and up to about 200° C. Usually, a solid precipitate or a thick syrup is produced. The precipitated polymer may be separated from the reaction mixture by filtration. The semi-solid polymer may be separated by boiling off the liquids preferably under vacuum. The remaining structure is understood to consist of the following repeating group: ##STR6## If the silane is hydrolyzed alone, without a second dissimilar component present, the polymeric structure is understood to be primarily a cage type three-dimensional network molecule. Other silanes may be present in the hydrolysis step. Other tri-X-silanes of different R groups or mono-X or di-X silanes of the same or different R groups will provide a cage molecule of differing channels or pore characteristics. Generally, the R group determines the size of the pores of the final product, the smaller the R group the smaller the pore.

The siloxane polymer resulting from the hydrolysis step is then subjected to stepwise or programmed calcining. Essentially, calcining replaces the R groups of the polymer with hydroxy, or oxy groups depending upon whether pairs of hydroxy groups are formed close enough to each other to condense or, if calcining is done in the absence of air, hydrogen. Clearly the gaps caused by the removed R groups form the small pores. Calcining is carried out at the minimum elevated temperature necessary to remove the R groups, normally from about 200° C. to below the sintering temperature, usually 200° to 600° C., preferably from 350° to 550° C., and at rates of increase from 10° C. to 300° C. per hour, preferably 20° to 250° C. (or from 0.3° to about 4° C. per minute).

When the calcining step is carried out in air, hydroxy or oxy or even --M--O-- groups (if a second component is present) occur in the product. In the absence of air, it is believed that ##STR7## groups occur by free radical mechanism. Such products, incidentally, are useful in this invention as reducing agents.

Preparation of a small pore size material with a high degree of cross-linking (three-dimensional structure) may be obtained by using R[Si]X₃ alone or with other silanes in which R is a low alkyl. Some selectivity for particular hydrocarbon molecules to be sorbed, otherwise obtainable with R[Si]X₃ ; may be lost in final products obtained when SiX₄, R₂ [Si]X₂ or R₃ [Si]X are in the initial reaction mixture. Since control of shape selectivity is one of the desirable ends of this invention, as well as producing stable three-dimensional structures, it is most preferred that the R[Si]X₃ be the only silicon reactant; if a mixture of silanes is used, it is preferred that at least about 33% by weight of the silanes be R[Si]X₃. For example, a product derived from phenyl trichlorosilane has a slightly lower pore volume than that of a product obtained from a mixture of 80% phenyl trichlorosilane and 20% diphenyl dichlorosilane, but the selectivity for n-hexane was higher in the first product.

Surface areas also vary with R, methyl producing a relatively low area, bulkier groups such as cyclohexyl or phenyl producing products of over 300 m² /g.

The R[Si]X₃ silane may be hydrolyzed in the presence of R'_(n) MY_(m), which R' is the same as or different from R, Y is any combining group, preferably halogen or alkoxy, aryloxy, metaloxy, hydroxy or oxy, M is a metal or non-metal, preferably of Periodic Groups IIIA, IVA, IVB, VA, VB, VIB, VIIB and VIII, m is a number up to 8, and n is 0 or a number less than 8. In addition, inorganic ionic compounds consisting of a anion of M and Y with a cationic portion may be used. Suitable cations include hydrogen, alkali and alkaline earth metals and ammonium. An M-containing compound may also be a complex having as one ligand a suitable group such as amine or phosphine which latter is part of an R group on silicon. In particular, the amorphous silica solids of this invention may have incorporated therewith aluminum, boron, tin, titanium, phosphorus, vanadium, cobalt, nickel, palladium, platinum, and the like, and mixtures of these elements.

The second component is combined with the R[Si]X₃ in a solvent system in the hydrolysis step. These combination products, as with the silica products alone, are also amorphous solids of varying pore sizes and surface areas. Such products are catalysts for oxidation and reduction reactants, cracking, isomerization, hydrodesulfurization and methanation and the like.

The silane is combined with one or more members of the second component in the presence of water and solvent, again water being in preferably stoichiometric, or only slightly over stoichiometric amounts. If necessary a small quantity of a base acting as a catalyst for promoting the polymerization of the mixture may be present, such as pyridine, pyrimidine, triethylamine or ammonia. The resulting solid is removed and subjected to calcination to produce the desired material.

Such compounds as aluminum chloride, aluminum butoxide, aluminum ethoxide, aluminum propoxide, sodium aluminate, ethyl aluminum chloride, methyl aluminum chloride, boric acid, sodium borate, methyl borate, cobalt chloride, nickel chloride, nickel acetate, phenyl phosphite or phosphonate, butyl phosphonate, phenyl dichlorophosphine, palladium chloride, methylamine palladium chloride, palladium nitrate, chloroplatinic acid, potassium chloroplatinate, cyclooctadienyl platinum dichloride, butyl tin acetate, tin chloride, di-cyclopentadienyl titanium chloride, titanium chloride, vanadium chloride, vanadium oxide are suitable as the second component in this invention.

The products of this aspect of the invention, particularly the aluminum, boron, phosphorus and tin compounds, have excellent general catalytic activity. Nickel products are active in producing methane from hydrocarbons and hydrogen, or from carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The cobalt-containing silica is active in hydrodesulfurization of organic compounds, such as thiopene. The palladium product is useful in hydrogenation of olefins, such as isobutene, and the platinum has hydrocarbon and CO oxidation activity for automotive exhaust gas conversion. In particular, the aluminum-containing products are useful in acid-catalyzed reactions, such as cracking.

In addition, known methods of exchange or impregnation can be used to incorporate additional metals for the purpose of producing other catalysts. For example, a hydrogenation-dehydrogenation function, such as platinum, can be added to a silica-alumina prepration to produce a reforming catalyst.

The following examples represent illustrations of preparing and using the silica products of this invention and are not meant to be limitations thereof. Unless otherwise expressed, amounts and percentages are on a weight basis. Percent yields of the final calcined products are based on the weight of the polymer produced after hydrolysis and polymerization.

EXAMPLE 1

In a suitable vessel was added 25 ml of phenyl trichlorosilane to a solution of 15 ml of water and 60 ml of methanol (1:4 v/v). The heat generated by this addition brought the mixture to boiling and a white solid formed. The mixture was maintained at room temperature for four days, after which the solid was removed and washed in ethanol and air dried. The washed solid was calcined in air by heating at 100° C. per hour to 500° C. and held at that temperature for 10 hours.

The resulting product is amorphous by X-ray examination and has the following characteristics:

    ______________________________________                                         Surface Area:        511 m.sup.2 /gm                                           Mean Pore Diameter:  26 A                                                      Pore Volume:         0.341 ml/gm                                               Particle Density:    1.28 g/ml                                                 Real Density:        2.32 g/ml                                                 Pore Size Distribution                                                         less than 7 A        61.0%                                                      7 - 10              8.0                                                       10 - 15              3.4                                                       15 - 25              1.4                                                       25 - 300             2.1                                                       over 300             24.1                                                      ______________________________________                                    

This product was used as a cracking catalyst for a paraffinic feed, 1:1:1 by volume of n-hexane (n-C₆): 3-methylpentane (3-MP) 2,3-dimethylbutane (2,3-DMB), and an olefinic feed 1:1:1 by volume of 1-hexene: 3-methyl-1-pentene: 2,3-dimethyl-1-butene, at 1100° F. with a weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 1.4 and 1.5, respectively. The following results were obtained:

    ______________________________________                                         C.sub.5 -plus Aromatic Relative Rates                                          Feed  Conversion, %                                                                              Yield, % nC.sub.6                                                                            3-MP  2,3-DMB                                  ______________________________________                                         Para- 23          0        1.12 1.02  1.00                                     ffin                                                                           Olefin                                                                               47          10.4     --   --    --                                       ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 2

In a suitable reactor, 50.4 grams of H₂ NCH₂ CH₂ NHCH₂ CH₂ CH₂ Si(OCH₃)₃ was added to 150 ml of the 4/1 v/v methanol-water mixture of Example 1. The mixture was stirred for one hour and allowed to stand for one day. The mixture was then refluxed for 2 hours and the solvent removed under vacuum. The resulting product was calcined at 3° C. per minute at 538° C. and held for 10 hours and then cooled. The yield was 35% by weight based on the weight of polymer. The product had a surface area of 642 m² gram.

EXAMPLE 3

In a suitable reactor, 50 grams of BrCH₂ CH(Br)-SiCl₃ was added to 150 ml of the 4:1 v/v methanol-water solvent. The mixture was allowed to stand for 2 days. It was refluxed for 2 hours and filtered. The solids were washed with three 200-ml portions of ethanol and dried in a vacuum oven at 125° C. for 2 hours. The product was calcined by heating at 1° C. per minute to 538° C., and held at that temperature for 10 hours, and finally cooled. The yield was 27% by weight and the product had a pore volume of 0.15 ml/g, surface area of 242 m² g and a particle density of 1.66 /g/ml.

EXAMPLE 4

In a suitable reactor, 50.5 grams of dodecyltrichlorosilane C₁₂ H₂₅ SiCl₃ was added to 150 ml of the methanol-water 4/1 v/v solvent and the mixture was allowed to stand for 4 days. The mixture was then refluxed at about 60° C. for 2 hours. The product polymer was a viscous liquid. The solvent was decanted and polymer washed three times with 200-ml ethanol portions with decanting of the wash each time. The washed product was dried in a vacuum oven at 120° C. for 2 hours, calcined at 1° C. per minute to 538° C., held at that temperature for 10 hours and cooled. The yield was 20% by weight of a product having the following characteristics: pore volume 0,233 ml/g, surface area 178 m² /g and particle density 1.59 gml.

EXAMPLE 5

A mixture of 55 grams of triphenylhydroxy silane, (C₆ H₅)₃ SiOH, 8 grams of sodium and 300 ml of benzene was refluxed at 80° C. for 3 hours and allowed to stand without heat for 5 days. The mixture was cooled to about 10° C. in an ice bath and stirred, and 40 grams of SiCl₄ in 200 ml benzene was added. The resulting mixture was subjected to reflux at 80° C. for 2 hours and cooled. During the SiCl₄ addition and refluxing, a stream of helium was passed through the reactor to exclude moisture. The reaction mixture was filtered to remove solid by-product. The benzene was then removed on a ratary evaporator to leave 39.7 grams of the product (C₆ H₅)₃ -Si-O-SiCl₃.

In a suitable reactor, 29.6 grams of the said product was added to 150 ml of the same methanol-water solvent and the mixture was allowed to stand one day. The mixture was then refluxed at 60° C. for 2 hours and cooled and allowed to stand for 7 days. The viscous white liquid was separated from the supernatant solvent, washed three times with 200-ml portions of ethanol. After the first wash, the product was a granular solid. The washed product was dried in a vacuum oven at 120° C. for 2 hours and calcined at 1° C. per minute to 538° C., being held at that temperature for 10 hours. The yeild was 23% by weight; pore volume 0.21 ml/g, surface area 341 m² /g, particle density 1.59 g/ml.

EXAMPLE 6

In a suitable reactor, 25 grams of phenyl trichlorosilane and 25 grams of methyl trichlorosilane were added to 150 ml of the 4/1 methanol-water solvent. The mixture was allowed to stand for 2 hours and then refluxed for 2 hours. The solvent was decanted and the white solid washed three times with 100-ml portions of water, three times with 100-ml portions of acetone and three times with 100-ml portions of hexane. The product was dried in a vacuum oven at 118° C. for 1.5 hours then calcined as in Example 5. The yield was 62% by weight; surface area 355 m² /g.

EXAMPLE 7

A silica compound prepared as in Example 2 was produced by adding to 150 ml of a 4/1 v/v mixture of methanol and water 10 grams of SiCl₄, 4 grams of methyl trichlorosilane, 33.5 grams of dimethyl dichlorosilane and 2 grams of trimethyl chlorosilane. The calcination yielded 66% by weight of final product. This product had a pore volume of 0.79 ml/g, a surface area of 94 m² /g and a particle density of 0.8 g/ml.

EXAMPLE 8

In a suitable reactor 42 grams of phenyl trichlorosilane and 10.3 grams of diphenyl dichlorosilane were added to 150 ml of the 4/1 by volume methanol-water solvent. The mixture was allowed to stand for 6 days. The solvent was decanted and the product was washed three times with 300-ml portions of ethanol. The product was dried in a vacuum oven for 16 hours and calcined as in Example 5. The yield was 27% by weight.

EXAMPLE 9

In a suitable reactor, 100 ml of ethyl trichlorosilane was added to 300 ml of the same methanol-water solvent mixture of the previous examples. The mixture was allowed to stand for 10 days, then heated to reflux for 1/2 hour and again allowed to stand for 2 days. The solvent was boiled off over a 2-hour period and the product was washed three times with 100-ml portions of ethanol and three times with 100-ml portions of petroleum ether. The product was air-dried, calcined at 9° C. per minute to 538° C. held at that temperature for 10 hours and then cooled. The yield was 73% by weight; pore volume 0.22 ml/g, surface area 90 m² /g and particle density 1.44 g/ml.

EXAMPLE 10

In a suitable reactor 50 grams of methyl trichlorosilane was mixed with 150 ml of the 4/1 v/v methanol-water solvent. The mixture was allowed to stand for 7 days. The solvent was decanted and the product washed three times with 100-ml portions of ethanol. The product was dried in a vacuum oven at 120° C. for one hour and calcined as in Example 5. The yield was 85%, pore volume 0.16 ml/g, surface area 28 m² /g and particle density 1.62 g/ml.

A number of silica products were tested for sorption capacity in the following manner. A sample solid of known weight is placed in a quartz basket suspended from a microbalance (Cahn Instrument Co.) on a quartz rod, all enclosed in a jacketed heater. A carrier gas, helium, is passed through a wick saturator to entrain water or hydrocarbon vapor and then into the microbalance and basket at 100 ml/min. Temperature and weight measurements of the solid are continuously made. The temperature is maintained at 35° C. in the heater. The sorption capacities are reported at partial pressures in the carrier stream of 20 mm. Hg for hydrocarbons, 12 mm. for water. The following are results for sorption of n-hexane, 2,3-dimethylbutane, water, cyclohexane, benzene and triethylamine. For comparison purposes, an aluminosilicate zeolite catalyst of the ZSM-5 type, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,886, in which the cations are predominantly hydrogen (herein referred to as "HZSM-5"), was also measured for sorption capacity.

    ______________________________________                                         Ex.    nC.sub.6                                                                               2,3-DMB  H.sub.2 O                                                                            CycC.sub.6                                                                           C.sub.6 H.sub.6                                                                      TEA                                  ______________________________________                                         1      0.17    0.13     0.15  0.13  0.17  0.05                                 2      0.32    0.27     0.27  --    --    --                                   3      0.13    0.06     0.10  --    --    --                                   4      0.09    0.02     0.10  0.04  0.09  --                                   8      0.10    0.11     0.16  --    --    --                                   9      0.09    0.01     0.12  0.06  0.07  --                                   10      0.008   0.006    0.005                                                                               --    --    --                                   HZSM-5 0.19    0.16     0.09  --    --    0.12                                 ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 11

To a solution of 50 grams of phenyl trimethoxysilane, C₆ H₅ Si(OCH₃)₃, and 10 ml of pyridine in 150 ml of 4:1 methanol-water v/v mixture were added 5 grams of aluminum t-butoxide, Al(O-t-C₄ H₉)₃. The mixture was allowed to stand overnight and was then heated to reflux at about 60° C. for 6 hours. Upon cooling the mixture, a solid precipitated. The solid was filtered out, washed with ethanol, dried in a vacuum oven and heated to 538° C. at 1° C./min. in an air stream. It was then cooled yielding 11.3 grams of a brown-gray aluminum-silicon solid.

EXAMPLE 12

In a suitable reactor 31.3 grams of ethyl trichlorosilane, CH₃ CH₂ SiCl₃, 150 ml of the 4:1 methanol-water mixture and 3 grams of 1,5-cyclooctadienyl platinum dichloride were combined. Heat evolved and the mixture became opaque. After standing overnight, the light yellow solid and clear liquid so resulting were refluxed at about 60° C. for 16 hours and cooled. The solid was filtered out, washed and dried and calcined as in Example 11, leaving 8.8 grams of a black granular platinum-silicon product.

EXAMPLE 13

To a vessel containing 750 ml of water was added 82.9 grams of methyl trichlorosilane, the temperature rising to 56° C. The mixture was stirred for 10 minutes and a white solid precipitate was filtered out, water washed and added to a solution of 20.2 grams of NaOH (equimolar to silicon) in 63 grams of water. The resulting mixture was stirred for 2 hours at 100° C., then 168 grams of methanol was added. Minor solid matter was removed by filtration, leaving as filtrate an aqueous solution of CH₃ Si(OH)₂ ONa. To this solution were added 24 grams of nickel chloride hexahydrate and 13.3 grams of aluminum chloride (equimolar amounts) dissolved in 150 ml of the 4:1 alcohol:water mixture. A light green solid precipitated; an additional 150 ml of solvent mixture was added and the system was heated to reflux at about 70° C. for 2 hours. The solid product was separated from the supernatant liquid after standing for 16 hours at room temperature. Sodium chloride was removed with boiling water and methanol, and the washed solid was dried in vacuum at 120° C. The product was calcined as in Example 11, providing a yield of 38.6 grams of a light tan nickel-aluminum-silicon solid.

EXAMPLE 14

To a vessel containing 200 ml of absolute ethanol were added 0.839 grams of PdCl₂ and 51.6 grams of aminoethylaminopropyl trimethoxysilane (the H₂ NCH₂ CH₂ NHCH₂ CH₂ Si(OCH₃)₃ of Example 2). After standing overnight the mixture was filtered to remove solid PdCl₂ particles and 50 ml of water was added producing a light yellow solution. No precipitate formed after 5 days of standing; the solvent was removed under vacuum, below 33° C., leaving a light yellow solid. The solid was calcined as in the previous examples; 14.3 grams of a red-brown palladium-silicon solid was produced containing about 3% palladium.

EXAMPLE 15

As a comparison example, 30.0 grams of anhydrous AlCl₃ was mixed with 63.4 grams of liquid dimethyl silicon polymer (General Electric SF 96) and the mxture was heated slowly to 200° C. The mixture was cooled and 50 ml of concentrated ammonium hydroxide was added. This mixture was refluxed and the resulting polymer was removed and calcined at 500° C. The resulting product had a high aluminum content 59.2% "Al₂ O₃ " indicating loss of silicon. The yield was only 35.4% of the theoretical yield although all of the starting aluminum was found in the product. Also the pores were very large, over 67% greater than 300 A. and the ratio of sorption capacities for n-hexane over 2,3-dimethylbutane is 0.9. In competitive cracking, it shows no shape selectivity for n-hexane. This solid was prepared substantially in a manner described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,441,214.

EXAMPLE 16

In a suitable reactor, 10 grams of aluminum tri-isopropoxide and 50.6 grams of H₂ NCH₂ CH₂ NHCH₂ CH₂ CH₂ Si(OCH₃)₃ were added to 150 ml of the 4/1 methanol-water solvent and allowed to stand 1 day. The mixture was refluxed at 60° C. for 2 hours and allowed to stand one more day. It was again refluzed for 96 hours. A liter of methanol was added and the mixture was heated to boiling, then filtered while hot. The solvent was removed from the filtrate with a rotary evaporator, dried in a vacuum oven at 120° C. for 4 hours, then calcined as in Example 11. The yield was 51.2%.

EXAMPLE 17

In a suitable reactor 50.9 grams of H₂ NCH₂ CH₂ NHCH₂ CH₂ CH₂ Si(OCH₃)₃, 3.35 grams of aluminum triethoxide and 10 ml of pyridine were mixed with 50 ml H₂ O and 200 ml of methanol and the mixture was heated to reflux for 16 hours. The solvent was stripped under vacuum and the product was calcined at 3° C. per minute to 538° C., held at that temperature for 10 hours and cooled. The yield was approximately 47%.

EXAMPLE 18

In a suitable reactor, 50 grams of phenyl trichlorosilane and 15 grams of boric acid were added to 150 ml of tetrahydrofuran. The mixture was stirred for 2 hours, refluxed for 2 hours and allowed to stand for 48 hours. The solvent was stripped off with the rotary evaporator under house vacuum at 100° C. The product was calcined as in Example 17, but at a rate of 2° C. per minute. The yield was 34%.

EXAMPLE 19

In a suitable reactor, 10 ml of phenyl trimethoxysilane, C₆ H₅ Si(OCH₃)₃, 5 grams of vanadium oxy acetylacetonate, 200 ml methanol, 25 ml of water and 5 ml of triethylamine were mixed together and allowed to stand for 10 days. The resulting product was filtered out and washed three times with 100-ml portions of methanol, dried in a vacuum oven at 120° C. for 2 hours. The washed product was calcined at 1° C. per minute to 538° C., held at that temperature for 10 hours. The yield of vanadium-silicon product was about 50.4% by weight.

EXAMPLE 20

In a suitable reactor, 10 ml of methyl trichlorosilane, 5 ml of dibutyl tin diacetate, 200 ml of methanol and 25 ml of water were mixed and allowed to stand for 10 days. The product was treated as in Example 19. The yield of tinsilicon product was about 67% by weight.

EXAMPLE 21

In a suitable reactor were mixed 33 grams of phenyl trichlorosilane and 40 grams of phenyl phosphonic acid in 30 ml of methanol and the mixture was refluxed for 16 hours. The solvent was removed under vacuum on a rotary evaporator. The product was an amber viscous material; it was dissolved in 100 ml of boiling acetone. The acetone was removed by evaporation leaving solid product. Clacining at 3° C. per minute to 538° C., holding for 10 hours at that temperature left a 33.8% yield of phosphorus-silicon product.

EXAMPLE 22

In a suitable reactor were mixed 94.1 grams of phenyl trichlorosilane, 3.34 ml of a solution of 0.113 gram/ml of sodium ethyl chloroplatinate in ethanol and 15.8 grams of phenyl dichlorophosphine. Slowly added dropwise to the mixture was 200 ml of a 1/1 by volume methanol-water mixture. Foaming and a heavy white precipitate resulted. The product was filtered out, washed with about 2000 ml of methanol and calcined as in Example 19. A 25% yield of phosphorus-platinum-silicon product was obtained.

EXAMPLE 23

A solution of CH₃ Si(OH)₂ ONa, prepared as in Example 13, was mixed with 24.1 grams of CoCl₂.6H₂ O and 13.3 grams of aluminum chloride dissolved in 150 ml of the 4/1 v/v methanol-water solvent. Another 150-ml solvent portion was added, and the mixture was refluxed for 2 hours and then cooled. Solids were filtered out, and 1000 ml of boiling water was passed through the filter paper to remove NaCl. The solids were washed three times with 500-ml portions of methanol, dried in a vacuum oven at 120° C. for 16 hours and calcined at 3° C. per minute to 500° C., being held at that temperature for 10 hours, and finally cooled. The yield of cobalt-aluminum-silicon product was 84.4%.

EXAMPLE 24

In a suitable reactor, 20.6 grams of phenyl trichlorosilane and 3 grams of dicyclopentadienyl titanium chloride were mixed with 60 ml of the 4/1 v/v methanol-water solvent. The mixture was allowed to stand for 2 days. The solvent was decanted and the solid washed three times with 100-ml portions of ethanol. The product was dried in a vacuum oven at 120° C. for 16 hours and calcined as in Example 21. The yield of titanium-silicon product was 43%.

The physical characteristics of the products of Examples 11 to 14 and 16 to 24 are as follows:

    ______________________________________                                         Product            Pore      Surface Particle                                  of      Percent    Volume,   Area,   Density,                                  Example of M       ml/g      m.sup.2 /g                                                                             g/ml                                      ______________________________________                                         11      6.3     (Al)   0.284   334     1.52                                    12      3.19    (Pt)   0.086   117     1.94                                    13      13.2    (Ni)                                                                   6.8     (Al)   1.43    240     0.56                                    14      3.0     (Pd)   0.512   832     1.06                                    16      9.7     (Al)   --       52     --                                      17      1.1     (Al)   --      296     --                                      18      7.72    (B)    --      below 5 --                                      19      0.22    (V)    --      --      --                                      20      0.1     to                                                                     1.0     (Sn)   --      --      --                                      21      24.0    (P)    1.345    35      0.542                                  22      0.5     (P)                                                                    0.02    (Pt)   --      354     --                                      23      15.2    (Co)   1.030   191      0.740                                  24      7.34    (Ti)   0.216   447     --                                      ______________________________________                                    

The solids of these examples have been used in a number of industrial catalytic processes.

1. Shape Selective Cracking

A feed consisting of equal weights of n-hexane (n-C₆), 3-methyl pentane (3-MP) and 2,3-dimethyl butane (2,3-DMB) (with about 0.5% of 2-methyl pentane) was passed over the test catalyst having 30-80 mesh size in a vertical downflow reactor at one atmosphere pressure and no added hydrogen, 1000° F. and about 1 WHSV. Liquid produ cts were analyzed by vapor phase chromatography ("Carbowax 1000" column for aromatics, benzoquinolin column for other hydrocarbons) and the gas products by mass spectroscopy. A commerical amorphous silica-alumina cogelled cracking catalyst having no shape selectivity and the comparison product of Example 15 were also tested. The percent conversions and relative cracking rates were as follows:

    ______________________________________                                                 Total C.sub.6                                                                            Relative Cracking Rate                                       Example   % Conversion                                                                               n-C.sub.6                                                                               3-MP    2,3-DMB                                 ______________________________________                                         Silica-alumina                                                                           35.7        1.00     2.11    3.50                                    15        36.3        1.00     2.08    3.34                                    11        17.8        1.00     1.37    1.36                                    21        14.7        1.00     1.03    1.09                                    16        17.4        1.29     1.21    1.00                                    20        14.5        1.32     1.30    1.00                                    17        17.7        1.44     1.20    1.00                                    18        14.7        1.49     1.43    1.00                                    ______________________________________                                    

The above results indicate a high selectivity for normal hexane by the products of this invention in comparison with the silica-alumina and the product of Example 15. Although the total conversion of C₆ feed is less, the selectiveness for cracking normal hydrocarbons is most advantageous. Comparable amounts of the undesirable (low octane) normal paraffin are removed but the catalysts of this invention destory much less of the desirable branched paraffins. The individual isomer cracking conversions, in percentages, for several of the above examples are:

    ______________________________________                                         Example   n-C.sub.6   3-MP       2,3-DMB                                       ______________________________________                                         Silica-alumina                                                                           20.5        38.4       55.3                                          16        19.1        18.0       15.1                                          17        21.4        17.6       15.5                                          18        16.6        16.1       11.5                                          ______________________________________                                    

indicating that substantially less of the branched isomers converted. Such catalysts may be used in fixed bed, moving bed, or fluidized-bed catalytic cracking processes. Such catalysts may also be used for hydrocracking. For example, a middle distillate hydrocarbon stream, boiling in the range of 400° to 600° F., is hydrocracked under typical hydrocracking conditions with recycle, for example temperatures from about 500° F. to about 900° F., hydrogen pressures from about 200 psig. to about 3000 psig., hydrogen flow rates of from 2000 to 20,000 SCF per barrel of feed, and liquid hourly space velocity of from about 0.3 to about 5.0. The products comprise a jet, diesel, or home fuel oil blending stock, a gasoline blending stock, and a light gas.

2. Methane Formation

a. In this process, the mixed C₆ feed of Process 1 is cracked as before, at various different temperatures and WHSV, using the proeuct of Example 13 as the catalyst. The following results were obtained:

    ______________________________________                                         Temp., ° F.                                                                         752        896        1000                                         WHSV        0.7        1.5        1.5                                          % C.sub.6 conversion                                                                       15.5       100        100                                          Gas Composition, wt. %                                                         H.sub.2     13.3       2.9        6.7                                          Methane     63.7       97.1       93.3                                         Propylene   14.3       0          0                                            Others      8.7        0          0                                            ______________________________________                                    

b. A sample of 11.5 mg of the Example 13 catalyst was heated at 1000° F. in hydrogen gas in the Cahn microbalance and carbon monoxide was introduced to produce a mole ratio of 3.9:1 H₂ :CO, at a WHSV of 6.0 and at atmospheric pressure. The weight of catalyst could be measured during the run and it increased by 22% in 30 minutes. The conversion of CO was below 10%, but the major product gas component was methane, and minor amounts of ethane, propane and CO₂. In another run, in a conventional fixed bed stainless steel reactor, at 310 psig, using 1 ml of 20-30 mesh of the catalyst of Example 13 with 21.5 ml of Vycor chips, and a 4/1 m/m H₂ /CO feed at 10 1/hr. the results were as follows:

    ______________________________________                                                                    % C as CH.sub.4                                     Duration, hrs.                                                                              Temp. ° C                                                                             in Product                                          ______________________________________                                         4            250           1.4                                                 4.6          300           4.8                                                 7            350           8.8                                                 7.7          400           12.4                                                ______________________________________                                    

For comparison a similar pressure reaction was run using as catalyst 1 ml 20-30 mesh Ni-0104 (a 60% Ni/kieselguhr made by The Harshaw Chemical Co. and recommended as a methanation catalyst). The results were as follows:

    ______________________________________                                                                    % C as CH.sub.4                                     Duration, hrs.                                                                              Temp. ° C.                                                                            in Product                                          ______________________________________                                         1.5          250           0.2                                                 2.5          350           4.5                                                 3.5          400           4.5                                                 5.0          450           8.3                                                 ______________________________________                                    

The catalyst of the present invention is more active.

3. Hydrodesulfurization

The catalyst of Example 23 was used in thiophene desulfurization at 400 psi of hydrogen and 700° F. In this process, hydrogen and thiophene reactant from a positive displacement pump are charged to the reactor at a preestablished pressure. The reactor has a total capacity of about 11 ml which can be partitioned between the preheat and catalyst zones. A bleed stream of about 1/5 the total flow is established through the metering valve at the base of the reactor. Total product samples from this bleed stream are taken through a sampling septum for chromatographic analysis.

Conditions of the test are as follows:

Catalyst pretreatment: 90 min. in H₂ S flow at 800°-900° F. and atmospheric pressure.

Catalyst volume: 0.3 ml of 50-60 mesh particles diluted with 3.0 ml of 50-60 mesh Vycor.

Temperatures: in range of 600°-700° F.

Total pressure: 400 psig.

Thiophene rate: 5.14 ml/hr. at LHSV of 17.1.

Hydrogen rate: 533 ml/min. under ambient conditions; Hydrogen/thiophene mole ratio = 20/1.

Sample period: 30 minutes.

Analyses of the total-gas samples were carried out on a Hewlett-Packard chromatograph (Model 7620A) using a 100-foot squalane column (0.2 inch diameter), hydrogen carrier gas, inlet split and nitrogen make-up gas. Peak areas were obtained from the integration of the flame-ionization detector signal by a PDP-8-computer. Because the detector senses only carbon ions produced in the flame and because each carbon ion represents 1/4 molecule of thiophene reactant, a simple normalization of the peak areas gives the mole-fractions of thiophene converted to the individual products and affords a convenient measure of conversion of the thiophene. Selectivites based on converted thiophene therefore represent the mole or weight fraction of the converted thiophene diverted to the individual products.

In the following table, C₃ ⁻ is propane plus lighter hydrocarbons, nC₄ ⁼ is n-1-butene, nC₄ is normal butane, tC₄ ⁼² is trans-2-butene, cC₄ ⁼² is cis-2-butene, C₅ ⁺ are alkanes of 5 to 7 atoms, H⁴ -thio is tetrahydrothiophene and C₈ represents a total of 4 peaks (octane). The results are as follows:

    __________________________________________________________________________              Selectivity, mole %                                                   Temp.                                                                              Conv.,                       H.sup.4-                                      ° F.                                                                        Mole %                                                                              C.sub.3.sup.-                                                                      nC.sub.4.sup.=                                                                     nC.sub.4                                                                           tC.sub.4.sup.=2                                                                    cC.sub.4.sup.=2                                                                    C.sub.5.sup.+                                                                      thio                                                                               C.sub.8                                   __________________________________________________________________________     600  9.96                                                                               2.20                                                                               11.71                                                                              2.38                                                                               25.07                                                                              18.39                                                                               9.15                                                                              16.01                                                                              15.19                                     650 22.62                                                                               1.55                                                                               8.49                                                                               2.83                                                                               16.22                                                                              12.33                                                                              21.44                                                                              20.34                                                                              16.84                                     700 53.69                                                                               1.64                                                                               6.48                                                                               2.38                                                                               10.62                                                                               8.08                                                                              15.57                                                                               3.17                                                                              52.06                                       700*                                                                             60.79                                                                               0.42                                                                               1.94                                                                               0.59                                                                                3.26                                                                               2.51                                                                              20.26                                                                               3.26                                                                              67.76                                     __________________________________________________________________________      *After 90 minutes.                                                       

The catalyst effected a conversion of about 61%. The product stream consisted of almost 68% C₈ olefins and only about 0.6% C₄ paraffin.

4. Hydrogenation-Dehydrogenation

The product of Example 14 was used in this process in which isobutene is hydrogenated. The sample of solid tested contained 3% Pd, with a surface area of 799 m² /gm and a pore volume of 0.512 ml/gm. The procedure of the reaction is as follows: A 100-mg (0.25 ml) sample was placed in a vertical glass tube and treated with H₂ at 138° C. and atomspheric pressure. A second stream of isobutene was added and after 0.5 min. a sample of the product stream was analyzed by gas chromatography.

At a temperature of 138° C. with a feed of hydrogen and isobutene in a mole ratio of 75:1, at 43,200 vapor hourly space velocity (VHSV) and one atmosphere, conversion of 94.8% was obtained.

5. Automobile Exhaust Oxidation

The product of Example 12 was tested in a hydrocarbon-CO feed oxidation test which indicates oxidation catalyst activity for catalytic converters in automobiles. The product contains 3.19% platinum.

The test was conducted by passing a synthetic auto exhaust gas (2.04% by volume of carbon monoxide, 427 ppm of propylene, 4.79% by volume of oxygen, 10.2% by volume of carbon dioxide and the balance nitrogen) over a 5-mg catalyst sample at 0.03 cubic feet/hour gas flow. The temperature is raised 10° C. per minute and the effluent gas is analyzed. For comparison purposes, a standard catalyst, 7.5% platinum on gamma-alumina (by impregnating with tetraamine platinum chloride) was also tested. The results show the temperatures for the indicated percent conversion of carbon monoxide and propylene.

    ______________________________________                                                    Temperature, ° F.                                            Percent Conv.              Example                                             (CO + C.sub.3 H.sub.6)                                                                      Standard      12                                                  ______________________________________                                          0           302           225                                                 10           324           275                                                 25           343           302                                                 50           352           316                                                 90           352           324                                                 100          352           338                                                 ______________________________________                                    

The product of Example 12 has superior oxidation activity over the "Standard" catalyst.

As indicated previously, the silica structures of this invention may be controlled to have shape selectivity toward certain hydrocarbon molecules. One desirable small pore size distribution will accept normal molecules and exclude branched isomers. The incorporated components with the silica do not effect this shape selectivity adversely as seen in the relative cracking rates. Pore size distributions (in percent) are as follows:

    ______________________________________                                         Pore                                                                           Radius, A                                                                               Ex. 11    Ex. 12    Ex. 14  Ex. 24                                    ______________________________________                                         below 7  35.7%     24.6      0.0     64.1                                      7-10     8.4       18.9      50.8    18.1                                      10-15    1.6       26.4      27.2    13.7                                      15-25    0.3       2.4       2.3     1.0                                       25-50    0.0       3.3       0.3     0.2                                       50-75    0.0       2.9       0.4     1.0                                       75-100   0.0       2.4       0.2     0.6                                       100-200  0.0       4.0       0.3     0.8                                       200-300  0.0       1.1       0.2     0.5                                       over 300 54.0      14.0      18.3    0.0                                       Total Vol.                                                                              0.284     0.086     0.512   0.21                                      Vol. below                                                                     15 A     0.130     0.060     0.399   0.20                                      ______________________________________                                    

We have described our invention by means of specific illustrations. However, this invention is susceptible to obvious modifications which are intended to be included in the scope of the invention as described and as hereinafter claimed: 

We claim:
 1. A synthetic amorphous solid having shape selective properties prepared by the steps of hydrolyzing and polymerizing in the presence of water a silane having the formula R(Si)X₃ wherein R is a nonhydrolyzable organic group, X is a hydrolyzable group and (Si) is selected from the group consisting of ##STR8## and ##STR9## and calcining the polymerzied product.
 2. The solid of claim 1 wherein R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl and the said groups hydroxy-substituted, halogen-substituted and amino-substituted.
 3. The solid of claim 1 wherein X is selected from the group consisting of halogen and alkoxy of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, alkali metaloxy, alkaline earth metaloxy, carboxy and amino.
 4. The solid of claim 3 wherein X is chlorine.
 5. The solid of claim 4 wherein R(Si)X₃ is selected from thr group consisting of phenyl trichlorosilane, (C₆ H₅)₃ Si-O-SiCl₃, methyl trichlorosilane, ethyl trichlorosilane, dodecyl trichlorosilane and mixtures thereof.
 6. The solid of claim 1 wherein the calcination step is carried out in a stepwise heating up to a temperature of up to 600° C.
 7. The solid claim 1 wherein hydrolysis and polymerization are carried out in the presence of a mixture of water and an organic solvent.
 8. The solid of claim 7 wherein the organic solvent is an alcohol.
 9. The solid of claim 8 wherein the alcohol is methanol.
 10. The solid of claim 1 wherein silanes selected from the group consisting of SiX₄, R₂ (Si)X₂ and R₃ (Si)X are also present, the concentration of R(Si)X₃ being at least 33% by weight.
 11. A process of preparing the solid of claim 1 comprising the steps of hydrolyzing R(Si)X₃ in the presence of water, effecting polymerization of said hydrolyzed product and calcining the resulting polymer by heating up to a temperature of up to 600° C. at the rate of 10° to 300° C. per hour.
 12. The solid of claim 3 wherein X is halogen.
 13. The solid of claim 3 wherein X is alkoxy of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms.
 14. The solid of claim 3 wherein X is methoxy.
 15. The solid of claim 14 wherein the silane is ethylene-diaminopropyl trimethoxysilane. 